Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
A collection of the most interesting or noteworthy stats from the Packers’ season-ending dope sheet in 2022.
The Green Bay Packers released the team’s season-ending dope sheet for the 2022 season this week.
The dope sheet was once the team’s press release during the 1920s. It continues today as a program/media guide that is put together by members of the Packers’ public relations staff.
Here is a collection of the most interesting or noteworthy stats from the dope sheet:
Alexander and Douglas are the NFL’s only cornerback duo with four or more interceptions entering Week 17
For all the disappointment that the Green Bay Packers’ 2022 campaign has brought to their fans, there are still signs of a competent and talented football team that is laying in wait for another chance at a Super Bowl next season. Especially on defense, the Packers have shown a knack for forcing turnovers, and their highly effective cornerback duo of Jaire Alexander and Rasul Douglas has proven to be one of the best in the NFL.
Entering Week 17, Alexander and Douglas are the only tandem of cornerbacks in the league to have four or more interceptions each. They are both also tied with Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland for the most fourth-quarter interceptions in the NFL with four apiece.
The Packers need a win in the worst way before the regular season ends, and against the Minnesota Vikings and middling quarterback Kirk Cousins in Week 17, they should have a fair shot at securing their eighth victory of the season to pull back to .500 heading into the final game of the season.
For their part, Alexander and Douglas will look to lock down the Vikings’ talented receiving corps led by sensational wideout Justin Jefferson, who currently leads the league in yardage. While it will be up to Aaron Rodgers and the offense to hold up their end of the deal and score enough points to keep Green Bay competitive on the other side of the ball, Alexander and Douglas could make a huge impact on the game if they can force a few turnovers.
Minnesota currently holds a 12-3 record, which is good for second place in the NFC playoff picture. It would take a miracle for the Packers to make it into elimination play this season, but a win over the Vikings would go a long way toward getting them in the hunt before time runs out.
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Jone and Dillon are among the best running back tandems in #Packers history, as evidenced by their inclusion on one exclusive list
The Green Bay Packers have relied on their ground game to pick up valuable first downs and yardage this season amid Aaron Rodgers’ relatively unspectacular 2022 campaign. As one of the NFL’s premier running back tandems, fan-favorite rushers Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon have both eclipsed the 650-yard mark this year while scoring five touchdowns apiece, a feat only achieved by three other duos in franchise history.
The first time that this threshold was reached by a pair of Packers was in 1960 when Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor put together a stellar season en route to an NFL Championship berth. Taylor would go on to accomplish the same achievement in 1963 with Tom Moore, in a season where Green Bay would go on to win the NFL playoff bowl with an 11-2-1 record.
Only John Brockton and Donny Anderson would be able to reach the same heights in 1971, with a 50-year gap between the next instance when Jones and Dillon put up similar numbers in 2021.
While the 2022 Packers haven’t made much of an impact on the league this season, their dynamically prolific offense has been fun to watch all year, and the future seems to be bright regardless of their quarterback situation moving forward. With a ground game as effective as the one they have put together, Green Bay should be able to dominate opposing defenses who key in on the air attack, especially if they have deficiencies in their linebacking corps.
It will take more than a sustained commitment to the run for the Packers to compete for another title, though, and the team should look to continue stockpiling talent on both sides of the ball to get back above .500 in 2023. If they can do that, and especially if Rodgers returns to quarterback the team next year, their outlook for the new season should be positive.
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Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are among the most effective rookie receiving duos in NFL history
The Green Bay Packers did a great job drafting in 2022 when they selected receivers Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs in the second and fourth rounds respectively. The duo became the fourth rookie receiving tandem in NFL history to reach the 35-reception threshold while also managing to catch three touchdowns apiece.
Among the other rookie duos to achieve this impressive feat were Bill Groman and Charley Hennigan in 1960, Fred Barnett and Calvin Williams in 1990, and Darrin Chiaverini and Kevin Johnson in 1999.
Watson also became the only player in the league this season to have seven receiving touchdowns and multiple rushing touchdowns and moved to third place among Packers rookies for receiving touchdowns in a rookie season. He will need two more receiving touchdowns to tie for second place in franchise history in that category, which would match the mark set by receiver Max McGee in 1954 when he came down with nine passes for six-point scores.
Both of Green Bay’s rookie receivers are among the top five in their draft class for touchdown receptions this season, and also rank among the top 10 in receptions and receiving yards.
Both of these outstanding pass-catchers have bright futures, and the Packers appear to be stacked at the receiver position moving forward. Watson’s length and incredible long speed should make him a viable deep threat for years to come, and Doubs’ savvy route running will make him a favorite target of any quarterback he plays with over the course of his career.
As a second-round selection, expectations for Watson were high entering the 2022 season, and after an adjustment to the pace of play in the NFL, he has burst onto the scene since Week 10. Doubs has been a steady contributor all season but is still waiting for a breakout performance of more than 100 yards receiving in a single game.
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Rodgers has put together some great numbers against the #Rams over the course of his career with the #Packers
Aaron Rodgers has been among the best quarterbacks in the NFL for more than a decade, and despite the Green Bay Packers struggles in 2022, he has a chance to put together a special performance against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15. Over the course of his career, he has played against the Rams seven times and has had a passer rating of 100 or more in five of those contests.
Los Angeles’ exceptional defense headlined by defensive lineman Aaron Donald won’t be easy to replicate that kind of efficiency against, but if history is any indication, Rodgers should have the beans to put together one of his better games of the season in the matchup. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey will likely be able to lock down one side of the field with consistency, but with his budding cast of receivers, Rodgers should be able to make his money taking what the defense gives him.
In the seven games he has played against the Rams, Rodgers has only thrown three interceptions while managing to score 15 touchdowns. The Packers’ offense has never scored less than 24 points in any of these matchups with Rodgers under center, and he will look to extend that streak on Monday night.
Green Bay is in desperate need of their sixth win of the season and should have a good chance of finding it against Los Angeles in this matchup. The Packers have one more win than the Rams on the year at this juncture, and while the defending Super Bowl champions may have found some unexpected momentum with Baker Mayfield under center, Green Bay has a clear advantage at the quarterback position.
This odd-ball season has thrown curveballs galore for both of these teams, but given Rodgers’ statistical dominance over the Rams in the past, it isn’t out of the question that he could put together a resurgent performance in primetime.
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